A question about Spotify

[Johnny Robbo]

The royalties question is a thorny one. I'm in a pretty unique position of having seen it from both sides... I am registered with PRS so in theory, any time my music is played on the radio, I should see some money (even if only a tiny amount) as a result of that. I was also a presenter (and briefly, part of the management team) on a local community radio station in Redcar, the town where I live. The station paid all it's PRS licences and was able to play any music it wanted to, perfectly legally, as the copyright holders were supposedly being compensated for having their music broadcast.

Needless to say, being a musician working at a radio station, I soon managed to get my stuff on the playlist (well, you would, wouldn't you?). After a couple of months had gone by, I contacted PRS to see what I had to do to claim my money. I had documented proof that my music had been played, how often, which songs etc etc. So I phoned PRS and enquired how to get paid. Their reply? "Oh, well for tiny radio stations like that one, we don't usually chase payments, as it costs us more in admin fees than it's worth."

Which sort of begs the question, where were the hundreds of pounds the station was paying each year in broadcast licences going if it wasn't to the copyright holders of the music being played? It seems to me like everyone was being cheated... the musicians who own the music, AND the radio station who were paying for the right to broadcast it. Makes you think, doesn't it?

[taffsdad]

Kinda thinking about my reply...ie listening and recording, its something that's been done since  cassette tape I suppose, now the digital age and you can just about get anything you want free....via some method, as a visual artist who now plays music It got me thinking...do I like the fact that any Art work I put online can be ripped off ? the truth is no I don't, especially if some one is making money off my Art Work.............I know it happens and that's the risk you take when you put it up online, it just seems to me that there is a different criteria for music...people just assume its there for the taking..and I admit Im one of them, my only excuse is I only use it for my own pleasure, not for any kind of resale ....its the same with vids you can think theres no harm in it because they are going to make millions so a few ..probably more than a few ripped off copies wont make any difference....one of the reasons Im bringing this up is because I think more than a few songcrafters members probably make their living from their music....

[fenderbender]

This subject really is as old as recorded music -------
some do -some dont
some will some wont -
get paid for their work-------
-in this new digital age getting paid for any kind of download etc is gonna be a hit and miss thing
We are the guilty ones -hands up who never copied an album never recorded a radio or TV prog.
never made a copy or copies of a CD for our friends -or vis(c)e versa-
We all know that if we put up an original song on any website -that we will never make a cent-
most of us have never even had that thought cross our minds -
we record cos we want to-to be part of a community -share and maybe collab-
a lot of established artistes are using the the various sites mostly to promote themselves -so giving away a couple of songs pays back------cos live gigs is still where the money is
I read a while ago in one of the UK papers that -cant think of her name -a recording of her's was in Christmas ads on radio and TV-it was released as a single as well -she claimed -it was worth about 3/4 thousand in royalties
and that she would get more for attending the opening of a new shopping center or any promotion.
 
the way of the new world gang -

[Hilary]

I read a while ago in one of the UK papers that -cant think of her name -a recording of her's was in Christmas ads on radio and TV-it was released as a single as well -she claimed -it was worth about 3/4 thousand in royalties
and that she would get more for attending the opening of a new shopping center or any promotion.
 

Gabrielle Aplin - a really good example of how the internet can open doors for new artists - she got her break for the John Lewis ad via BBC Introducing.

Johnny is talking about downloading shedloads of CDs for £10 a month. I think it's a different issue.

[fenderbender]

Johnny is talking about downloading shedloads of CDs for £10 a month. I think it's a different issue

point taken -Hilary.